Car-door latch.



PATBNTED SBPTJa, 1907.

W. E. LBMP. CAR DOOR LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED In 15. 1907'.

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Que-mu WILLIAM EDWARD LEMP, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

CAR-DOOR LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

Application filed May 15 1907. Serial No- 373,783-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM EDWARD LnMP, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Mobile, county of Mobile, State ofAlabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- DoorLatches, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car-door latches and has for itsobject to provide a simple and effective device designed especially forswinging doors of refrigerator cars.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists incertain features of construction hereinafter specified and particularlypointed out in the claims.

These objects are attained by the means illustrated in the followingdrawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofaportion ofa car having my device attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a tions of the latchin connection with a seal and Figs. 4

and 5 are detail perspective views of the latch members.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The latch comprises a door-member A and a wall member B, adapted to besecured in their respective positions by means of screws or bolts. Thedoor member A consists of a base plate a having formed integraltherewith or rigidly 'secured thereto a hook I) having inclined faces aand (i, said faces being relatively broad and positioned one behind theother, and a supporting rib e. The inner face of the hook is providedwith a lip or projection f.

The wall member consists of a base plate 9 provided with a slot h, theplate being cast with bearings i at each side of the slot. A hook 7cprovided with integral pintles m is pivoted in the bearings i, said hookhaving an inclined face n adapted to contact with the inclined facesupon the door member, a lip or projection o adapted to engage the lip f,and a stop 7) at its inner end upon its lower side, adapted to engagethe base plate 9 to normally hold the hook in a horizontal position.

To the rear of the baseplate of the wall member and between said plateand the wall is secured a spring metal plate 1 having a tongue 8 benttherefrom, said tongue projecting through the slot h and bearing uponthe top of the hook to form a spring normally holding I the hook to itsposition. One of the hooks is provided with a hole t whereby a seal canbe applied as shown in Fig. 3.

In operation the doors are thrown open, the inclined faces of the hookscome into engagement and act as spring bumpers, retarding the doorssufficiently to prevent slamming, the pivoted hook rides over the face 0of the opposing hook, and falls into engagement with the face d. When inthis position the doors are posi tively locked and the counteractinglips upon the hooks prevent creeping and the unlocking of the doors;also when in this position the doors are effectually prevented fromrattling by the engagement of the inclined faces of the pivoted hook k,with the inner inclined faces of the stationary hooks, the frictionalcontact between the faces and the force of the spring being sulficientto overcome this objection which tends not only to jar the doors butalso to strain the hooks.

By forming the pivoted hooks with integral pintles I obviate the dangerof losing the hook by the accidental loss of the pivot pin. It will beobserved also, that by forming the stationary hook as shown anddescribed I am enabled to provide a hook with relatively broadcontacting surfaces and at the same time obtain a light and substantialmember.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A latch comprising a stationary member having two inclined faces onein the rear of the other upon its upper side, a vertical shoulderseparating the two inclined faces, and a gravitating member and meansfor pivotally attaching it to a support, this gravitating member beingprovided with a head whose under side is inclined and adapted tonormally bear and slide upon the rear one of the inclines of thestationary member, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a latch, the combination of a stationary member adapted to beattached to asupport and having an inclined surface and a verticalshoulder, the upper end of this shoulder being provided with an inwardlyextending lip, and a movable lnember and means for pivotally attachingit to a support, this movable member being provided with a head whoselower end is provided with an outwardly extending lip, for the purposeset forth.

A latch comprising a stationary member having two inclined surfaces, oneto the rear of the other, and a lip and means for securing it to asupport, and a pivoted member having an inclined face and integralpintles, and means for securing it to a support, and a spring adapted tocontact with the pivoted member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses this 8th day of May, 1907.

WILLIAM EDWARD LEMP.

Witnesses R. l. TURNER, H. F. CRAWFORD.

